Automatic fuel regulator



c. 1 sToKEs 1,842,690

AUTOMATIC FUEL REGULATOR Jan.. 26 1932,

Filed Deo. 30, 1926-V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r f 5 /i-f.

Jan.. 26, 1932. c. L. sToKl-:s

AUTOMATIC FUEL REGULATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo. 30' 1925/lllllll//lll/llllll/Illll/l lill Patented Jan.` 26, 193,2

NITED STATES PATENT* OFFICE CHARLES LAWRENCE STORES, F LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 'IO GUR'IS IB.

' CAMP, TRUSTEE, OF GLENCOE, ILLINOIS .AUTOMTIC FUEL REGULATORApplication led December 30, 1926. Serial No. 157,979.

My invention relates to improvements .in automatic i'uel regulation forinternal combustion engines.

rlFhe principal object of my invention is to provide a proper fuel andair mixture to an internal combustion engine, under varying temperatureconditions, for starting and operating the en gine.

Another object is to provide an automatic device torinternal combustionengines, actuated by the suction thereof, for properlyproportioning themixtures of 'fuel and air supplied thereto. A

ilinother object is to provide an automatic device vt'or an internalcombustion engine, ac-

tuated by the suction and temperature thereot, tor properlyproportioning the mixtures of fuel and air supplied thereto.

it further object is 'to provide a simplified carburetor Yfor internalcombustion engines, the functions thereof being automatically controlledby engine suction.

rlhis application discloses invpart the subject mattei' as my copendingapplications, Serial No. hl'tiiiel, tiled NOV. Q4, 1923, and Serial No.715,912, iiled May 26, 1924,

lletcrring to the drawings, in which the same numbersI indicate likeparts;

Fig. 1 is a side view showing the general application of my invention toan internal combustion engine;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal cross section of a carburetor;

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross section along the lines i-3 ot Fig. 2;

Fig. -fl is a rear view of part f Figs. 1 and :2, and a side view ofpart of Fig. 3;

Fig.l is a side view of a modification applied to an internal combustionengine;

F ig. is a vertical Alongitudinal cross section ot' the modificationshown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse cross section along the lines 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 1 to l inclusive; an internal combustion engine 1has. an exhaust pipe Q and an intake manifold 3', to which latter isattached a carburetor 4 having amain air intake 5 and the usual floatchamber 6 open to atmosphere .and supplied in any well known manner withfuel through a feed pipe 7, whereby a constant level of liq-` uid fuelX-X is maintained therein.

Carburetor 4 includes a mixing chamber 8, the outlet from which iscontrolled byl a butterfly throttle valve 9 and the anterior portion ofchamber 8 is controlled by a choker .valve 1() placed in passage 5.

Mixing chamber 8 contains a large venturi 11 and a small venturi12'4placed in such relation to each other in a well known mannerV as toexercise the proper influence responsive to the suction of engine 1,upon the discharge ot a nozzle 13.

Nozzle 13 contains a compensatin device 141, to the interior of whichliquid :tue is sup plied from float chamber 6 through a passage 15 and arestricted orifice A16. An annular space is provided by the nozzle 13and compensator- 14 to which leads a passage 17 open to atmosphere.

Nozzle 13 supplies liquid fuel and air to the mixing chamber 8, the airbeing passed interiorly of compensator 14 through a plurality of bleedorices 18.

A casing 19 is adapted to slidably hold a valve Q0. the stem of which attimes closes the intake ot passage 17 and has therein a small bleedpassage 21. The upper part ot casing 19 is connected ,to chamber 9 onthe engine side ot throttle 9 by passage 22, the lower part of casing 19being connected to chamber 8 on the atmosphere side ot throttle 9 by apassage 23. The upper partvgntg casing 19 is closed by a plug 27,aspirin 999:1 being placed therein between the hea 'ot valve 20 and plug27.

Normally, when engine 1 is 'at rest, the action ot spring 26 is to seatvalve 20 rmly in passage 17 whereby access of air is cut on" therefrom,exceptthrough the calibrated passage 21'. tlf it be assumed that engine1 is cold and the choker valve 10 is closed manually or otherwise forpriming, and throttle 9 is substantially closed, upon cranking engine 1to start the same, it will be seen that the same degree of vacuum willexist in chamber 8 on both sides of throttle 9, it being nnderstood thatthere is a slight leak of air past both valves 9 and 10.

The cranking vacuum will thus be applied I A wherein a valve 28 to thesame degree, when valvedlO is closed, through thepassage 22 and 23 toeach side of the head of valve 20, so that valve 20 wi-ll remain seatedin passage 17, thereby throwing the full engine cranking suction onnozzle 13 to draw an excessive supply of liquid fuel therefrom forstartin engine 1.

As soon as engine 1 firesmcho er valve 10 will beopened wherebysubstantially atmosl ph'ericpressure will .prevail in chamber 8 on theatmosphere side of throttle 9, when the saine is closed. The idlingvacuum onthe engine side' of .valve 9 then will b high whereby valve 20will be raised against the resistance of `spring 26-to fully openpassage 17. v

t is to be understood of course that any well known idling feed andadjustment may be, provided, but is not shown herein in order not toobscure the invention, whereby 1i uid fuel and air are provided on theengine side of throttle 9 when the same is closed, anddurin `derstood tat no fuel or air are drawn from no zzle 13, except at' low temperatureswhen valve 10 is partially closed.

Upon opening throttle-9 for increasin the speed of engine 1, the degreeof vacuum a ove t rottle -9 will-decrease, and the degree of I so vacuumbelow throttle 9 will increase, where` by thediiierence in vacuum oneach side of throttle 9 will be reflected by the movementof valve 20, inslightly closingpassage 17. In this manner, at the proper speeds, and

at 'varying degrees of opening of throttle 9 f the suction applied tonozzle 13 will be broken b the supply of atmosphere through passage i l;and'compensating orifices 178 to supply fuel aand air to engine 1 in theproper ratio.

As age neral rule, tiallyl open so as to give an engine ,speed in anautomobile of about 15 to 20 miles an hour, valve 20 will seat inpassage 17 so that at iigher engine speeds, a higher ldegree of suc 45,tion and a richer fuel mixture will be pro- A vided from nozzle 13.

This action gives the best economy at low Vspeeds and gives the' bestpowerwhen it is required at high speeds.

In case that valve 10 maticallya operated according tg the suctionand/ortemperature of engine .1, a casing'25 is provided forming a partof carburetor 4, K reciprocates according to tlie'engine suction appliedfrom above throttle 9 through aV conduit 24. On one end of valve 28 isattached a flat spring 29 to which is fastened a pin 32 adapted. toco-act with ratchet 30 comprising a shorttooth 30a and a long tooth 305,the same being fastened sel Theupper end of casing 25 is enclosed by aplug35 supporting conduit 24 and a spring 36 serves tof maintain valve28 in predeter` such idling periods it will be un-.

when throttle 9 is paris desired to be a-uto' Icurely-onspindle .31supporting valve 10.-

cover 37 en closing a thermostat 39, which supports a hollow valve- 40,theY walls of the latter containing ports 42 and 43 adapted t`o co-actat' the proper time with a passage 41 leading from the interior of cas70 ing 25 to air4 passage 5 on the atmosphere side of valve 10 when thesame is closed, and it will be noted that passage 41 is restricted to asmall opening at its entry into casi'ng 25, and at low temperatures,port 75 42.will be slightly open to passage 41.

A conduit 38 leads from the interior of cpver 37 and may be wrappedaround exhaust pipe-32 whereby the temperature of engine 1v may bereflected by the movement of t ermostat 39.

The action of this device for automatically closing pipe 5 by means ofvalve 10 is as follows: Normally, valve 10, when engine 1 is dead, or atthe proper operating temperature, is wide open being held in thatposition by a spring 34 attached to spindle ,31 through an arm 33. Uponcranking engine 1 at low temperatures and throttle 9 vbeing closed,engine vacuum will be applied through conduit 24` to the head of valve28, whereby valve 28 will raise and thereby close valve 10 tight bypulling on the small tooth 30a.

Valve 10 will thus remain closed during cranking until sufficient fuelhas been drawn through nozzle 13 to produce an explosive charge inthecylinders of engine 1, whereupon engine 1 will commence to idle, thuscausing a sudden increase in vacuum applied through conduit 24,whereupon pin 32 100 will jump from the small tooth 30a and r init therecession of valve 10 a predetermined distance, depending on thedistance of the ytooth 30?) from 30a. Y

Thereafter, upon opening throttle 9 for 105 increasing the speed ofengine 1, the vacuum applied to conduit-24 will decrease and thus permitthe recession of valve 28 and valve 105 `to the wide o en position.' Theaction of `valve 28 may e modified by the actionof 110 4 '-'For instancein very cold weather, port 42 vwill be not quite closed, While port 43is al- 12 waysopen'to passage`41 .under every condition, therefore thee'ect of .suction on valve.

28'at very low tempera uresis negligiblerand f a dashpot action incasing 25 is provided, def pending on the size of .the restriction inpas- 125 sage 41. With increasing engine temperatures, themostat39'will'expan5l due to the'. heated airbeing drawn through conduit 3 8,

-valve 40', port 42, and passage 41- responsive to the engine suctionandiultimtely port 42 13.

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will be in full registry with passage 41 at optimum engine operatingtemperatures to the end that the lull suction applied to passage 41 willtend to quickly open valve 10 in proportion as throttle 9 is quicklyopened.

ln this manner, the temperature of engine A stein ot valve 49 beingconcentric with theL stern of valve 45, and valve 45 now controls anextension oit passage 17 wherein an excess of liquid l.tuel is sup liedtrom chamber 6 and passage throng a restrictedorifice 44. @n the lowerside ot the head of valve atmosphere is admitted to the interior ot'casing 19 through a port 47 and thence at the proper time, through aport 48 tothe interior oit valve 45. l port 46 is adapted to register atthe proper time with the passage 17, when the lower part otvalve 45 isseated in the extension thereof for cutting oli' the supply ot liquidfuel through oritice 44.

l spring 50 is placed between the heads of valves 45 and 49 and spring52 is placed between the head of valve 49 and the Vcover 2l, and saidsprings are of the proper relative strengths. Vl`he stem of valve 49 ishollow and contains a port 51 adapted to co-a'ct at the proper timeswith port 48 for permitting the regulated passage of air through ports4l" and 45 to the compensating orilices 18. Passage E28 is now connectedto the casing 19 betweenV the head ot valves 45 and 49 and to thechamber 8 in an enlarged portion thereoit. it being particularly notedin both 4the derices illustrated that air passage 5 is much larger incross sectional area than the mixing chamber 8 which is furtherrestricted hy the venturis l1 and 12, in order to properly control theair stream passing through the venturis.

The automatic closing of valve 10 is eflected in like manner as alreadydescribed,

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circept that thetemperature control of valve 28 may he governed by theexpansion of air in bulb placed on exhaust pipe 2 and led therefromthrough a capillary7 tube 54, ortube ol" small bore, to an extension 53ot' cover 35 wherein a piston 56 1s reciprocat'ed by valve 28 through ahook connection 57, piston 56 being very closely machined to preventescape ot atmosphcrethere past. lt is ot course obvious that avdiaphragm or bellows may enclose the end ot extension 53 for a likeobject.

`lleterring to the action of valves 45 and 49, it it he assumed thatthrottle 9 closed :tor starting and valve 1() is closed eitherautomatically or manually, the cranking vacuum tor starting will beapplied equally on veach side of the head oit the piston 49 throughpasmanner the normal richness of' supply through orifice 16 will beaugmented by the supply through oriice 44 for giving a rich primingmixture to start the engine. As-

soon as engine 1 is idling, valve 1() Will be more or less open, thusdecreasing the vacuum below throttle 9 and causing valve 5 to seat. Theidling vacuum above throttle 9 will be a maximum thus causing valve v49to rise, and causing port 51 to register with port 48, wherebyatmosphere will pass through ports 46, 47, 48, and 51 tothe'compensating orifices 18 for reducing the richness of themixturesupplied through nozzle 18.

Thereafter as throttle 9 is opened, the registry of port 51 with port'48will decrease to the end that at wide open positions of throttle 9, aminimum amount of air will be supplied to orifices 18.

lt will be understood that may be suitably guided with respect tocasing19, passage 17 and to each other to the end that the vvarious ports willalways register at the proper position of throttle 9 for giving aVvalves 45 and 49 The entry position ot passage 23 into chainber 8 may bedetermined for any particular design and may at times be connected tothe throat ot either venturi. 11\or l'depending on the movement requiredof valve 45. For instance, if passage 23 be connected to the throat o'tventuri land orifice .16 is restricted for low speed supply, the higherspeed vacu-.

lum may be applied to valve 45 for slightly raising thesame for highspeed fuel supply.

lt will be noted that, while the automatic operation of valves 10, 45and 49 are interdependent for controlling the full range of engineoperation from starting at low temperatures to running at optimumtemperatures, .at the same time the1 automatic operation of valves 45and 49 are fully effective if valve 1() is manually operated and thusthe priming and economizer actions are readily available( The cut ofteeth give the described action, i. e. firstpclosing 30a and 80?) aresuch as tor a nozzle discharging into the c amber, av Vllquid .fuelsupply. for the nozzle, a throttle` governing the.4 outlet v from' themixing chamber, a casing having a pair of openings 4connected to themixing chamber, one on each' side of vthe throttle and means in thecasingresponsive I to the differential suction 4on said o enings forcontrolling the dis-- y charge of l1quid fuel from the nozzle.

2. A carburetor having a mixin chamber,

.a nozzle dischargin into the` c amber, a

nozzle.

liquid fuel supply or the nozzle, a main air supply for said mixingchamber, a secqndary air supply for. the nozzle, 'a throttle governingthe outlet of vfuel and air from the mixing chamber, a casing connectedto the mixing chamber on leach side of the throt- .tlejand means foreffecting said secondary air .supply in the casing responsive to thethrottle position for controlling the discharge of liquid fuel and airfromthe nozzle.

` 3.: A carburetor -for an internal combustion engine to which it isattached, comprising a mixing chamber, a main air assage leading to themixing chamber, a fue4 nozzle discharging into the mixing chamber, aliquidfuel supply for the nozzle, a posterior throttle' in the mixingchamber, an anterior throttle in the air passage and means connectedtothe mixing chamber on each side of the posterior throttle operativeupon movement of theanteror throttle, forcontrolling the discharge ofliquid fuel from the 4. A carburetor for an internal combustion engineto which it is attached, pomprising a mixing chamber, a main a1r`passage leading to the -mixi-ng chamber, a fuel nozzle discharging intothe mixing chamber, a liquid fuel supply for the nozzle, a posteriorthrottle in the mixing chamber, an anterior throttle in the air passageand suct-ion means connected tothe mixing chamber on each side of theposterior throttle operative upon movement .ofl the anterior throttlefor con! trolling the discharge of liquid fuel from the no zle.

A5. The .combinationwith an internal combustion engine of a liquid fuelsupply, la carburetor having a nozzle connected with the liquid fuel suply, a main air supply andra throttle there or; a discharge throttle forthe carburetor, a casing connected to the carburetor on. each side ofthe discharge throttle, a secondary air supply leading to the nozzle andmeans operated byengine suction for effecting the secondaryair supplyfor controlling the ldischarge of fuel from the nozzle.-

` throttle.

.controlling the' discharge of fuel and air..

from the nozzle.v

7. The combination with an internal 'cmbustion engine of a liquid fuelsupply, a carburetor having a nozzle connected with the liquid fuel suply, a main air supply and a throttlerthere or, a discharge throttle'for the carburetor, a secondary a1r supply' and a control valvetherefor for controlling the dischargeof fuel from the nozzle and meansoperated by engine suction for controlling said valve upon movementofthe mainzair supply throttle, said means including a conduit extendingto a point posterior ofthe '90 8; The combination with an internalcombustion engine of a liquid fuel supply, a carburetor having a nozzleconnected with the liquid fuel su ply, a main air supply and a throttlethere or, a discharge throttle for the carburetor, a valve forcontrolling the discharge of fuel from the nozzle `and means operated b'v engine suction and temperature for control ing said valve uponmovement of the main airV supply throttle.

9. A carburetor having a mixing chamber, l a throttle in the mixingchamber controlling the discharge therefrom, a nozzle discharging intothe mixing chamber, means to supply lliquid fuel to the nozzle, means tointroduce air into the nozzle, means to apply suction to f the mixingchamber, and suction operated means on the nozzle side of said throttlefor controlling the discharge of liquid fuel and air from said nozzle. v1 10. A carburetor operable by the suction of an internal combustionengine comprising Aa mixing chamber, a liquid fuel supply, .a throttlein the mixing chamber, a nozzle connected with the fuelsupply anddischarging '115 intothe mixing chamber, and suction operated meansconnected `with the mixing chamber on each side of said throttle forregulating l the discharge from said nozzle.

11. The vcombination with a carburetor ,120 operable by suction andhaving a main air passage and a throttle therefor, a mixing chamber anda throttle therefor,a li uid fuel supply, a nozzle connected with` theuel supt ply and discharging into the mixing chamber, '125 suctionoperated means controllingthe discharge from the nozzle of meansoperated by suction independently of first named means for controllingthe main air passage throttle.

12. In a fuel feeding system for internal 130.

combustion engines, zle discharging in said chamber, throttle posteriorof said nozzle, a main air passage', a choker valve in said passage, anauxiliary air passage l5 to the carburetor at opposite sides of saiddischarge throttle, and a secondary 4air supply lealding to said nozzleand controlled by said va ve suctidn whereby to control the disc arge offuel and'air from said nozzle.

14, The combination with an internal come bastion engine of a `liquidfuel supply, a carburetcr having a nozzle connected with said fuelsupply, a main and a secondary air sup- Y ply, a throttle for said mainsupply, a dis charge throttle for said carburetor, sald secondary airsupply communicating with said nozzle', and a valve havin connections atopposite sides of said =disc controlledvbyengine suction vthrough saldconnections, said valve ybeing operated upon movement of `the main airsupply throttle.

In testimon whereofl. axpm si ature..

cV smwnzaNoE rro s.

a mixing chamber, a nozi fordelivering air to said nozzle, a valve forcontrolling said passage, and sucy tion operated means for independentlyconsaid valve being operated b vengine y arge throttle and

